RICERCAR

Ricercar: translation

(pl. It.ricercari)

Keyboard composition that, when intended fororgan, might have been used as apreludeorversetin Christian liturgies in Italy and German-speaking countries. One of the earliest important collections, Marc’Antonio Cavazzoni’s (c. 1490–c. 1560)Recerchari, motetti, canzoni. . . (1523) contains two ricercars of improvisatory character. The termtoccatareplaced this type in the 17th century. Another type based on strictimitationappears in Girolamo Cavazzoni’s (c. 1525–after 1577, son of Marc’Antonio) 1543 collectionIntavolatura cioe recercari. . . and became the basis for the keyboardfugue. The master of the form is generally acknowledged to beGirolamo Frescobaldi, particularly inRecercari{}et canzoni(1615) andFiori musicali(1635).